Kempton to be sold off by Jockey Club for housing development

[moehat]

Always surprises me that Rothko’s paintings are so peaceful/relaxing given that he was such a troubled soul….

[Cav]

Jockey Club owned land around Newmarket that is not being used for racing purposes, estimated to be worth about a billion.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2017/jan/16/jockey-club-kempton-closure-plan-newmarket

[phil walker]

Watching the end of today’s phone-in with Matt Chapman on ATR he had a guest suggesting two courses of action if Kempton is closed:

Sandown to have an all weather track
Ascot to have a two-day meeting combining the best races currently run at Kempton and combining them with their pre-Christmas meeting which features the Long Walk Hurdle. I think that’s a great idea to have a mid-winter festival which could rival Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting. However I think that’s too much of a good idea and not something the Jockey Club would agree to.

[% MAN]

phil walker wrote:

Watching the end of today’s phone-in with Matt Chapman on ATR he had a guest suggesting two courses of action if Kempton is closed:

Sandown to have an all weather track
Ascot to have a two-day meeting combining the best races currently run at Kempton and combining them with their pre-Christmas meeting which features the Long Walk Hurdle. I think that’s a great idea to have a mid-winter festival which could rival Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting. However I think that’s too much of a good idea and not something the Jockey Club would agree to.

Unfortunately neither would work.

I can’t see them sacrificing the golf course and go cart track for an AW course at Sandown.

There is also no way they will move the big Kempton races to a non-JC course, although personally I think the idea of a December festival at Ascot is brilliant.

[clivexx]

https://beta.racingpost.com/news/mps-pile-on-pressure-by-questioning-right-to-sell-kempton/272526

Whatever anyone thinks of Alex salmond, he could be a big asset in this fight.

It’s good to see that opposition has gained momentum over past couples of weeks. It’s becoming a bit of a tsunami and I’m beginning to think the whole plan may be scrapped sooner rather than later

[clivexx]

Also been interesting to read between the lines of trainers opinions of sandown. Rightly it’s seen by many racegoers as a great watching venue (I love going racing there) but trainers and jockeys seem less keen.

[clivexx]

Would appear from reports today in the Times that the Jc are considering scaling back the plans. There always has been the suspicion that this has been as much about negotiating sale of some of the land as an actual closure. The council are still saying “no go” though

Looking good

[GoldenMiller34]

Seems like good news:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/43169370

[steveh31]

Or to put it another way now that Racing UK has Dundalk & Chelmsford selling off their only all weather track would be a bit stupid so let’s get the council to make out that the area is doing well as it is and doesn’t need redeveloping.

[clivexx]

In a winter when ground has been horrible everywhere that fact alone should make this news cause for celebration.

And it was a cracking atmosphere today

[Author]

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